Joseph retzbach



(No Model.)

J.REJJJZBAGPI. FIFTH WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

No. 419,708. r Patented Jan. 21, 189D. f

UNITED vSTATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOSEPH RETZBAOH, OE OFFENBURG, BADEN, GERMANY.

FIFTH-WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersy Patent No. 419,708, dated J'anuary 21, 1890. Application filed September 21, 1889. Serial No.324,622. (No model.) Patented in France December 22, 1888, No. 195,024.

l To all whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH RETZBACH, of Offenburg, Grand Duchy of Baden,Empire of Germany, have invented an Improvement inthe TurningPlate ofVehicles above the fore wheels, (for which I have received LettersPatent in France under date of December 22, 1888, No. 195,024 of whichthe following is a specification.

The turning device for vehicles forming the object of the presentinvention is based on a ball mechanism constituting its distinction fromthe slide or plate contrivances hitherto used for the same purpose. y

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a top view; Fig. 2, a verticalsection along line o fw, Fig. 1, of the improved device; and Fig. 3 across-section of the ball mechanism proper, on an enlarged scale.

The turning device consists of the rings a and b, of iron or steel. Thelower ring a is so hollowed or turned out at the top as to have spacefor receiving balls c, which project upward for about one-fourth oftheir diameter. They are placed side by side around the circumference,and are introducedinto or removed from a through an aperture CZ aboutthree centimeters long, and adapted to be closed with a correspondingpiece of metal by means of screws e, or in any other convenient manner.Instead of hollowing the whole circumference of the lower ring a andfilling the same with balls side by side, a may be hollowed only atcertain places-for instance, at four, six, or eight places-and providedtherein with one ball or a suitable number of balls. On the balls c issupported the upper ring b, which is so hollowed at the bottom as toembrace about threefourths of the lower ring a, leaving sufficient Theupper and lower halves a and b of the turning device are separatelyattached, the lower one to the spring-frame and the upper one to thebox, by means of a screw device. The screws Z are parts of theball-ring, while the crossstays 'm m and n n n appertain to the vehicle.They are made of wood by the respective carriage-builder, and are shownin the drawings merely for the sake of clearness.

The following are the advantages of the ball-turning device over theplate devices hitherto known.

Th-ile the plate devices with straight friction-surface when used thewhole day often become dry by friction and require renewed lubrication,the improved ball device is exempt from this drawback, as not a drop oflubricating material is lost, but all the oil is led to the hollowedlower ring a and to the balls c, owing to the receiving contrivancesprovided. The oil, in the event of congelation in winter, resumes itsliquid state by the least use of the vehicle through the friction of theballs, whereas with the slide or plate turning mechanism the oil whenfrozen is immediately pressed out to the right and left when using thevehicle.4

The oil in the new device being protected from escaping, is alsoprevented from soiling the varnish of the vehicle, which results inconsiderable economy in sponge and leathercloth for cleaning the latter.

The ball device requires cleaning and lubrication only a few times ayear, and not a few times a day, like the slide or plate device. Owingto the extraordinary mobility of the balls, the vehicles can be turnedby a child, and horses therefore need not use any force for turning,andare consequently greatly spared.

The improved turning device is also easily applicable to old carriagesor coaches.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

The turning device for vehicles, consisting of the combination, with theballs c, of the hollowed rings a and b, of iron or steel, the lower ringa embracing the balls c about IOO three-fourths of their diameter and.being pro- In testimony whereof I have signed my [o vided with anaperture d, that may be looked, name to this specification in thepresence of for introducing; or removing balls c; further, twosubscribing Witnesses.

With the canal fi and a few apertures k, the

upper ring b on the other s ide embracing` ring JOSEPH RETZBACH. CLabout three-fourths of its height and being,`

provided With the lubrication-bore f, and re- Vitnesses:

peiling edges 7L on the right and left of g, sub- CARL BHRINGER,

stantially as and for the purpose described. ALBRECHT REUP.

